


Come Home

by yourgirlislovely



Category: Black Panther (2018), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, winterprincess, winterprincess christmas exchange 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:13:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourgirlislovely/pseuds/yourgirlislovely
Summary: Part of the WInterprincess Christmas Exchange 2019!Prompt: Meet the Family
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Shuri
Comments: 9
Kudos: 33





	Come Home

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift for aquariusgarbag, I hope you like it dear! Merry Christmas XOXOXO!
> 
> And a special thank you to @wakandawinterprincess! Thank you so so much for putting so much love and effort into this ship and keeping it strong! You are such an amazing creator and pillar in our community!<3333

* * *

Shuri could not sleep. Her body ached and her eyes drooped, but anxiety demanded her undivided attention and consciousness. 

She was not accustomed to such a way of travel—of course, the vibranium-powered jets she was used to were much more comfortable and spacious. Let alone, travelling across the globe would only take a few hours.

The world of commercial air travel has not caught up with Wakanda, hence her current predicament of an 18 hour non-stop flight with terrible entertainment( how many superhero movies are there?), laughably easy levels of Sudoku, and a primitive temperature control system that can’t seem to make up its mind about whether to keep the passengers warm or cool. 

She turned to look outside her window—the sun was rising for what seemed like the third time in an hour. As much as her dislike for these small discomforts, she had to admit to herself that the real reason for her insomnia was because of the man peacefully sleeping in the seat next to her.

Not because of him, of course. She had cared for him, tended to him and in the process, fallen hopelessly in love with him. And thank Bast, he with her. 

But it had not been easy. 

James Buchanan Barnes lived many lives in one lifetime, but none of them belonged to him. To have him open up about himself meant reliving memories of forced choices. 

So she learned to be patient, to let silence be his guidance. And he had shared moments here and there about his time with HYDRA or during the war, but they were fragments that didn’t quite fit together. 

But for the sake of his heart, she did not push. Despite curiosity clawing at her throat, she could not bear to ask more than what he gave. She held him close in those moments and gave him gentle kisses, hoping they’d give the comfort he needed in that moment. 

His past, she concluded, was one puzzle that she would not solve.

Until last week.

* * *

_“I want us to go to Brooklyn together.”_

_She couldn’t quite understand the statement. It had been too early in the morning and her eyes could barely make out his face across from hers._

_“What?”_

_“For Christmas next week. I want us to go to Brooklyn.”_

_Shuri blinked. This was definitely unexpected. A thousand questions ran through her head but only one came out._

_“Won’t it be cold?”_

_He laughed._ _“It’s no Wakandan winter, but I’ll try to keep you as warm as possible,” he said, before planting a kiss on her forehead and pulling her close._

_The warmth of him was too distracting._

_“Okay. Let’s go to Brooklyn.”_

* * *

And now, a week later Shuri regretted not asking him why then. 

Brooklyn was his home, that was as far as she knew. He had made fast friends with the then scrawny Steve Rogers. This was the place of his childhood—of family and friends, holidays and school. It was his origin.

Shuri imagined that nothing was the same since he left to go fight in the war. 

What, or who did he want to see? Was there anyone left from his old life? She knew nothing of his family-- did he have siblings? Nieces or nephews?

She wanted to wake him and ask but it was too late. Nothing he could say could soothe her anxiety.

Better to face it when they arrived. 

* * *

This was hell on earth.

The airport was overcrowded, overheated and over decorated. Every nook and cranny was stuffed with trees, lights shone too brightly against white walls, and Santa Claus’s face plastered on the front of every store inside.

Shuri was relieved when they finally stepped out, only to immediately want to rush back in. Icy wind shot through her face, invisible needles puncturing her skin. 

“Nope, absolutely not,'' she said as she pulled an additional two scarves from her bag and wrapped it around her face. 

Bucky laughed, “ I did say I would keep you warm.”

“Somehow, I don’t think the heat from you will do enough for me. No offense.”

“None taken.”

* * *

“We’re here.”

Shuri finally opened up her eyes to see where Bucky had taken her. She had entrusted him in getting her entire person safely to their destination while she left no part of her uncovered. She pulled down her scarf just enough to make out what was in front of her.

Brooklyn Cemetery.

Of all the likely places he could have taken her, this was not even on the list of possibilities. 

“Are you sure this is where you wanted to take me?”, she said through chattering teeth. 

He only smiled and led her past the gates. 

They walked what felt like for quite a bit past rows of headstones ( though it could be the cold giving that impression) until Bucky stopped a rather small one. 

She looked up at him, waiting for him to speak.

“Shuri, this is my mother.”

She squinted to read the small engraving:

**Winnifred Barnes**

**July 10th 1901 - December 25th 1935**

_She died on Christmas._

“I was ten when it happened. My old man died during the war, never found his body. I barely remember him.”

He paused.

“Come to think of it, I barely remember her either.”

Shuri held onto his hand tighter. 

“I’m sorry, my love,'' she whispered, unable to think of anything else.

He shook his head. 

“Don’t be.”

* * *

They stood there in silence, the winds gently moved fallen leaves and twigs across the cemetery.

Shuri could only imagine what this place looked like back then to a child all on his own. The world always seemed bigger to a lonely heart, especially to such a young one. 

But she still couldn’t understand why he had brought her here. The curious monster within her couldn’t wait anymore.

“ Why did you bring me here?”she asked. 

After a prolonged silence from him, she thought she had pushed too far.

But then he spoke. 

“I have been so afraid to come back here. Even when I was finally free from HYDRA’s brainwashing. I think I always knew that even before their control over me, there was nothing waiting for me here. And maybe, there wasn’t much of a difference between who I was and who I am.”

He crouched down to brush some of the debris off the headstone for his mother. 

“My parents are a blink in my past’, he continued. “ And there is nothing I can do to change that.”

Shuri sank down beside him, leaning on his shoulder. 

“All that I was, all that I am. Every loss, every choice, every twist brought me to you. ”

Her heart thudded as she lifted her head to look at him.

His eyes showed no doubt as he spoke. 

“I brought you here to meet my mother. To thank her for raising me as much as she could, for as long as she could. I wanted her to know there is home and family and a future. With you.”

Shuri couldn’t help the sting of tears against the cold on her face. Her heart broke and soared for this man, who had asked for nothing of her but to love him as he is. 

And she did. She very much did.

* * *

She turned back to the headstone. He had brought her to meet a family he barely knew, to show her a piece of his past that he had little recollection of. Simply because he believed in the reason for it’s existence is his place in the present. Next to her. 

She thought of her next words carefully.

“Then, if it’s alright with you, I’d like to say something to her.”

Bucky looked at her, puzzled. But nodded. 

“Thank you for bringing your son into this world. For watching over him all these years so that one day I’d find him. Thank you for bringing a good man into this world. I promise to take care of him and love him as much as I can and as well as you could have.”

She paused. At the corner of her eye, she could see Bucky’s eyes water. 

She gently turned his face towards her and wipes away the tears that have escaped.

“I love you James Barnes. You are my family.”

He grabbed her hands with his own and kissed each palm. 

She knew now. How much she meant to him. And how much he trusted her with his heart. 

She would always be careful with it. 

He finally broke the silence. “Your hands are frozen princess.”

“And you said you’d keep me warm,” she teased back. 

“ I did. Let’s get you somewhere warm, preferably where they serve something warm.”

He lent her a hand up before kissing it again. 

She felt warmer now, as they made their way out onto the streets.

“We should visit your mother again, you know,” she said as they walked towards a coffee shop down the block,”bring her some flowers when it’s a little warmer.”

He smiled at her. “I think she’d like that.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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